FURNESS’S ECB National Club Championship dreams ended at the last-32 stage with a five-wicket defeat against Ormskirk.

Batting first in the fourth-round tie at Furness Park, Scott Pearcey’s men reached 181 for 9 in their 45 overs.

Openers Nathan Waterston, with 55, and Lewis Gribbin, 34, were the home side’s top-scorers and put on 74 for the first wicket before Gribbin was caught by Gary Knight off Ian Robinson.

The Furness batsmen struggled to get on top of the tight Ormskirk attack. Sam Dutton lasted only seven balls for his two runs and Mark Daly became Robinson’s second victim when he fell for 16 at 103 for 3.

Waterston and Pearcey took the score to 134 before the young opener’s 96-ball innings ended, and it was left to the captain to hold the innings together with 32 as wickets fell around him.

In reply, the Liverpool and District Competition Premier League high-fliers made steady progress throughout their innings to reach a winning total of 185 for 5 in 41.4 overs.

Paceman Peter Lawson bowled a tidy spell of 9-4-35-0, while the wickets were shared around between Ryan Tyson (2 for 50) Garry Thompson (1 for 30) Daly (1 for 38) and Jordan Buchanan (1 for 31).

Furness suffered a double blow at the weekend as their first North Lancs and Cumbria League Premier Division defeat of the season – at Cockermouth – saw them lose ground to leaders and defending champions Workington, who won by just three runs against Wigton, the team Furness face at home this weekend.

Pearcey’s men face another massive double-header this weekend, with the Wigton home game followed by the visit of Keswick to Furness Park in a mouth-watering Higson Cup semi-final on Sunday.

Dalton head to Cleator in the other semi-final.

Itis also Vigodny Cup semi-final action on Sunday as Lindal A play Whitehaven A and Ulverston A take on Egremont.